Dr. Claire Simeone is a conservation leader, working fearlessly to heal the animals and ecosystems of our planet. A veterinarian by training, Claire specializes in working with marine mammals, studying the connections between animal health, ocean health, and our own health.
Claire has spent more than a decade in the veterinary field. In that time, she honed her skills as an expert in clinical marine mammal medicine. She has created novel therapies, like creating a treatment for sea lion eye trauma, and has researched diseases, treatments, and understanding health trends for marine mammals across North America. She has worked both in the field and in hospitals around the world, to improve animal health and welfare, train the next generation of health leaders, and advocate for conservation of wildlife.
In the wake of her father’s death, and the day she brought her son home from the hospital, Claire suffered a spontaneous coronary artery dissection, a rare post-partum heart attack. This, coupled with severe burnout, led her to a re-evaluation of life, work, and saving the world.
Claire is the Founder and CEO of Sea Change Health, an organization working to massively shift our understanding and cultivation of health, for all those who rely on the sea. Claire was the first veterinarian ever selected as a TED Fellow, and is the author of numerous scientific articles, book chapters, and is a seasoned speaker. Prior to founding Sea Change Health, Claire led conservation efforts for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal at The Marine Mammal Center. Claire’s work underscores the connection between humans and animals, and how our very survival relies on a return to listening to what wisdom the natural world has to share.
Claire has a young son, and lives in San Francisco, California, with her partner, fellow marine mammal veterinarian Shawn Johnson.